Monday, May 3, 2010

Would you like to make a tangible difference in the fight against poverty? Work for a greener future? Help shape the rapidly expanding home energy efficiency industry?

Civic Works, a non-profit leader in green jobs training and home energy efficiency, is hiring a Green Projects Development Intern. The Intern will work with the Green Projects Development Coordinator to provide assistance in expanding the size of Civic Works’ current green training programs, developing additional career training programs, and expanding our home performance business. Current college students gain the kind of real-world experience they can’t find in a typical internship.

Civic Works’ green programs have been highlighted by Green for All, The Washington Post, and the US Council of Mayors. Civic Works operates 12 programs in the areas of Community Revitalization, Education, Energy Conservation, and Workforce Development. We provide green job training opportunities, convert vacant lots into community gardens, rehabilitate homes for low-income residents, improve home energy efficiency for low-income residents, and tutor and mentored thousands of students in Baltimore City and County schools.

The mission of Civic Works’ Green Projects is to harness the power of green jobs as a pathway out of poverty for Baltimore residents. The purpose of this internship will be to help develop and expand Civic Works’ Green Careers Initiatives.Since 2003 our B’More Green program has prepared unemployed and underemployed Baltimore residents for brownfields mitigation careers. Beginning in summer 2010, Civic Works will start offering an Energy Efficiency Retrofit Installer training course.Along with these training programs, Civic Works operates a full service home performance company, offering energy audits, energy retrofits and cool roofs.

This is an unpaid internship. However, we will be able to provide a $1,000 scholarship to be applied towards education expenses.

As Wesleyan students, we have the unique opportunity to influence the behavior of the socially irresponsible corporations in which we invest. We also have the potential to push for Wesleyan to shift its investment strategies towards more ethical alternatives.

If you are interested in changing our investments to better reflect your values, come to the first mass meeting of the grassroots, student-led initiative called the Socially Responsible Investing Coalition (SRIC). The SRIC is a brand new, multi-issue coalition that strives to facilitate communication and action between various student groups and individuals who come together in order to assert our student voice in our school's investments.

At our mass meeting on May 4th, we’ll discuss where everyone’s interests and goals lie, begin to shape the way the coalition will function, and set plans in motion to mobilize for next semester. Anyone should come to this meeting, whether you already have a specific idea for how you’d want to engage with our schools investments, or if you just want to find out more.

If you would like to come chat with the founding organizers of the SRIC, we will be tabling at Usdan from 12-1 all week. Please stop by if you have any questions!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

WesFRESH presents another event for their week of food politics, this time on farm worker justice:

Hundreds of thousands of children work in agriculture throughout the U.S. Child farmworkers as young as twelve often work twelve- and fourteen-hour days under dangerous and grueling conditions. They risk pesticide poisoning, injuries, and suffer fatalities at five times the rate of children working in other jobs. As a result of their long hours, they drop out of school at alarming rates. Nationally, barely half graduate from high school.

Although agriculture is one of the most dangerous occupations in the U.S., child farmworkers are exempt from the legal protections granted to all other working children in the U.S. This briefing will give you an overview of these issues by Human Rights Watch as well as an opportunity to sign a letter addressed to local Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro urging her support of the Children’s Act for Responsible Employment (CARE Act, HR 3564), legislation that would greatly improve the lives of children in the fields.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Wesleyan’s SAGES (Sustainability Advisory Group for Environmental Stewardship) has compiled a calendar of events sponsored by a variety of student, University, and community groups happening this EarthDay Week.

TAP THAT! Campus water fountain awarenessLook for signs and information about campus water fountains and facts about bottled water presented by the TAP THAT! Bottled Water Awareness week, an EarthDay Week program of the Environmental Organizers Network (EON).For events happening after EarthDay Week (including several WesFRESH events, a screening of Food Inc., and an EarthDay 5K) check back here at the Green Scene!

Micah Feiring and Ben Firke are running for WSA President and VP and they need your help! Micah and Ben have pledged to do all they can to make Wesleyan more sustainable.

Ben was a crucial ally in passing the Green Fund this year, creating tens of thousands in sustainability funding, and Micah campaigned vigorously during the student referendum. Next year, Micah and Ben plan to finally bring a comprehensive composting system to Wesleyan, promote the Green Fund to ensure the best possible submissions come through, hold the ECS-Prize again, work with Physical Plant to reduce utility waste, and bring renewable energy to campus in some form.